4 reasons you should stay in a small boutique hotel in California

November 22, 2017

Boutique Hotel: Sunny California has all the elements – sea and surf, coastline and mountains. There’s also a new foursome of snazzy, newly refurbished, indie-owned boutique hotels with high emphasis on playful design, midcentury accents, retro-stylish texture, and breezy pattern. Let’s take a fresh view on the vintage Cali-cool.

Originally built in 1947 as the Malibu Riviera Motel, and where Bob Dylan and Marilyn Monroeonce bunked (separately), the 13 newly refurbished rooms were individually curated by LA-based design firm Folklor and boast exposed white wooden beams, handmade furniture, hand-dyed Turkish rugs, and local artwork. Bathrooms are kitted out with unfinished brass fixtures and custom robes made with African fabric and the hotel’s own line of all-natural bath products. Dutch doors lead to a private patio for ample chill time on artisan-made hammocks, and just beyond, easy access to the famed Zuma Beach and Point Dume. 28920 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu

Nestled off the beaten coastal path between Santa Barbara and Monterey, the 27-room roadside hotel (also from the folks at Sparrows Lodge) features sun-bleached wood floors, artwork from local surf and motorcycle shop Iron and Resin, and white-lined bathrooms with turquoise-painted cement floors. For communal gatherings, the lobby’s U-shaped sofa and Fermob chairs grant stellar ocean views (really, there’s not a bad seat in the house, thanks to mirrored walls). In the morning, breakfast affords stunning views of Moonstone Beach and nights are for Dylan songs and a game of chess. 6180 Moonstone Beach Drive